Medicinal Plant Use Patterns among the Amuzgos of Guerrero, Mexico

Medicinal plant use among the Amuzgos of the State of Guerrero, Mexico was investigated by questioning eleven individuals that claimed knowledge of curing. Each curer was asked whether he or she used each of approximately 450 plants for which Amuzgo names are recorded. One hundred twenty eight different species were identified as being used medicinally by one or more of the curers. For each of these plants information was elicited concerning the plant part used, how it was prepared and administered, for what infirmities it was utilized, and why it was effective.
The data from nine of the curers were analyzed using standard ecological similarity measures to detect possible distinct curing traditions among these practitioners. Simulated samples were constructed by Monte Carlo techniques to test for possible statistical significance and to provide probability estimates.